Word Origin & History

c.1400, from Middle French massif "bulky, solid," from Old French masse "lump" (see mass (n.1)). Related: Massively; massiveness. U.S. Cold War strategy of massive retaliation was introduced by J.F. Dulles in early 1954.

Example Sentences for massively

"Come as you are," said the Tamburini, who massively stood up.

He could see her cheek, the cheek that ran too massively into her neck.

Stress and thrust answer each other directly, simply, massively.

The city is massively built, but it has a battered look, and no wonder.

To her eyes the tree stood as massively firm as she had ever seen it.

She remained, however, massively and unattractively immobile.

His declamation was as fluent and as massively graceful as his demeanour.

They were massively cross-barred, and placed at such a height that curiosity, even on tiptoe, expired before it reached them.

Iron Thoughts, twice as broad across the back as Tick-Tock, twice as massively muscled, looked like a devil-beast even to her.

A bust of Swedenborg over a massively carved bookcase, filled with volumes of royal exterior, attracted Emily's eye.